Ch-9"Never in my life," Rahul's straightaway reply came out of his mouth.Who does he think he was to order him to cancel his marriage with his future wife. He would make sure that she would belong to him and he would show her proudly to the world as his. He wanted to claim her in front of the world and make this world jealous of him.And Also he wanted to pamper her, shower her with his love and make her drown in his world. He wants to make her the queen of his world and give his heart to her to control him and his heart. Never in this life nor in the afterlife he wants to leave her. He just doesn't want to live with her but become her life, her soul, and her breath. He felt like he would die if he waited for her more. This would do, right?Maybe or maybe not be. Even if it doesn't he will make sure she would fall for him after their marriage. He knew she didn't have a boyfriend. But he will be her boyfriend, husband, friend, and everything she wants in this life except her brother.
Ch-10"The literal thing. I asked you to cancel the engagement, not the marriage," he said with a sigh making Rahul frown."What do you mean, Arjun?" he asked."She is not in the position to wake up and attend the ceremony. And in the olden days, there is nothing called engagement. Both sides of the family exchange Thamboolam and the presence of the bride and groom are just for show. I guess we have to go with that," Arjun said.[Thamboolam: In south Indian culture, there is no concept of a wedding. They exchange a plate filled with betel leaves. The groom's side would exchange the plate with saree, betel leaves, betel nuts, flowers, coconut, any kind of fruits, flowers, bangles, red turmeric, and turmeric. While the bride side would give the same betel leaves, betel nuts, a kind of fruit, silk dhoti, and red turmeric. This segment means fulfilling the ceremony of engagement. The exchanging of rings was never a real segment. From what my parents said they give them as gifts in the mar
Ch-11"Your dad is dead and will never wake up,""You are an orphan,""You are unlucky girl,""You are a bad omen,""She should be thrown somewhere,""She is such a bad luck attracter,""You little bitch get out of here,""She should be killed,""NO! NO! STOP IT! DAD! DAD! WHERE ARE YOU!?""DAD!! DAD!!"Laya sat up straight at the nightmare she got. Indeed, it's not a nightmare but a memory of her childhood.She tried to run her hand through her hair but something tugged her. She saw a drip was connected to the back of her right palm. She sighed as she remembered the incidents that happened in the morning. When she got to know that it's her engagement, she fell unconscious. She only remembered her brother carrying her to her room or one of the rooms in the mansion.She removed the needle as the drip was empty. Laya smiled bitterly when she realized there was no one for her to remove the drip after it got emptied. Trying to ignore the pain that was rising in her chest, she walked towar
Ch-12Maha Lakshmi gave it to me when her husband intervened."Son, there is an auspicious time in another hour," the old pandit said. He looked like he was in his nineties or eighties.Laya wondered how he was still holding on with that much age."Since we have fixed the auspicious time. Shall we start the segment? Get my future-daughter-in-law ready?" Maha Lakshmi said."Aunt, but Rahul is not here," Durga tried to say."It doesn't matter," Maha Lakshmi said."But you didn't let the segment happen when my sister is absent, Aunt!" Abhinav almost yelled at her.Maha Lakshmi looked at him with a frown as he raised his voice at her."Abhinav…" Laya's weak voice could be heard in the silent room where a storm was brewing. Her voice attracted the commotion. Maha Lakshmi looked at her with displeasure."It's my fault. You shouldn't yell at aunt. It's just wearing a saree and adorning a few ornaments. No big deal. And it's one of the biggest days in my life. I will get ready. Before that… a
Ch-13Laya sat on her bed as thought about the things that happened to her. Her mother-in-law looked like a devil. She can remember those evil mothers-in-law from that kind of telugu serials. As for her father-in-law he looked kind but powerless in front of her mother-in-law. As for the groom… he looked like a perfect jerk or maybe not.From what her mother-in-law said…. She stopped the segment due to her absence but she didn't do the same during her son's absence. She can imagine her life in her in-law's house. A sneer formed on her lips at the bitter life she was going to have. She was fretting whether she should trust her brother or not or run away.If she has a mother or father or a brother who are related to her biologically, she would not have to go through this situation. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she thought about this. Who would support her from now on? She would be given with respect based on the dowry she takes. And adding to the point she takes 1/3rd portion of sha
Laya didn't know what happened all the time. She did what she was asked and what she was told to do. No one asked if she was fine with what they were doing to her or not. No one asked if her health was good or not. Even her brother Arjun was not seen around. She sighed at her situation pitifully.She looked at her hands which were filled with mehndi. Seeing her mehndi dried, she decided to wash it off. After washing it off she realized this mehndi was pretty nice on her hands, she wondered if her life would be this pretty as her hands. She searched for the name of the groom in her hands. But she could only find the letter R as for the rest she didn't understand what was written on her hands.She gave up looking deeper into it. In mehndi, the groom's name would be written on the hands of the bride. They say that the redder the shade of color turns, the brighter her married life will be. So, every bride wishes that her mehndi would dry into the darkest shade of red.Laya's hands were in
Ch-15Next day…Laya heard from her Sharada that there was a Lord Shiva temple and has to go there to give offerings. Now She had to get ready for it. She wore red a saree and got ready to leave along with her sister-in-law and her brother after they got ready. She doesn't want to take help from anyone… so she tried to drape the saree with a YouTube Video. She couldn't fold the pleats of her frill properly so… she just pinned her frill without folding the pleats to her blouse. She decided to learn how to fold the pleats of her saree frill properly when she gets time this evening.They decided to go to the temple at 8 A.M. And just to drape this saree, she got up early. She saw her mother coming towards her… which brought a headache to her. Last night… her mother woke her from her sleep just to tell her she should go to the temple in the morning which ruined her sleep. Laya was so frustrated to the point she wanted to curse her mother that all her rubber bands would disappear for the n
Ch-16Raghuram felt a headache was coming on his way after hearing his son's words. He asked him to accept the deal and to deal with it sooner as the groom's people were coming… They have to prepare a welcome for them the soonest. Looking for a new hotel to stay over was an impossible thing to do.Arjun was thankful for his father's decision right now. He has to convince his relatives to stay in those less luxurious rooms. Arjun spoke for nearly an hour with the manager regarding the things, payment, the groom welcome preparations, and things. It was already 9.30 A.m. By the time they were done speaking. Laya felt relief after the things got settled down.Arjun and Abhinav came out to see Laya standing in the garden trying to catch a yellow butterfly that was flying away from her. Maybe this was the first time they saw her smiling genuinely in the past eight days. A smile crept on their faces as they looked at her. "She looks beautiful when she smiles," Abhinav said."Of course, Just
It's late-night for them by the time everyone left. Sri Ram and Raya were taken by Raghuram and Rama Krishna. After he changed Rama Krishna, Raghuram and Harish Chandra became natural enemies. they all want Laya and her children's attention to them. And these three of them want benefits. They have their few banter to get their attention. And as the saying goes... the strong one wins. The ones who could win Laya could have Raya and Sri Ram. But in their banter, Rahul suffered many cold, and alone nights along with cold showers.----------------"They left," he whispered into her ears."hmm..."she answered as she snuggled closer to him."kids?" he asked."They went with dad," she replied."So, we are alone?" he asked as he placed a hand on her waist."Hmm.. yes," she nodded sleepily. After the hectic day, finally, she got time to sleep. But can she with Rahul?Nope.He turned off the lights and closed the bedroom door and immediately pounced on her.He hovered over her and ripped her ni
Ch-83five months later..."Everyone! Enough!" Sharada yelled."What is it, Sister-in-law?" Rama Krishna asked as he wiped his sweat with his sleeve on his forehead."You all fathers and sons are idiots. You forgot to buy Kumkum Puvvu (saffron) to her with your clumsy actions," Sharada said as she shook her head."I know brother would forget it. So I stole this," Rama Krishna said proudly."Wow! Babai! Next time take me too. We will steal together," Laya said as she held her heavy stomach as she walked towards him."Sure, why not?" Rama Krishna said."I will also come," Raghuram said."Nope!" Laya and Rama Krishna said together."Why?" he asked as he clutched his heart dramatically."Because you don't know how to run or escape," Laya pointed harshly.Rama Krishna nodded his head in a yes, breaking his brother's heart further"You both are bullying me! Ever after you both reconciled, I am left alone. Sobs," Raghuram started his million-dollar act.Just then Arjun and Durga came with th
Ch-82"Why did you bring her here?" Maha Lakshmi asked."Uncle, I want to talk to my mother alone, Can you leave?" Saranya asked. He nodded and went outside."Mom, I am sorry. I didn't realize that you did for my brother's sake. When I went to my brother's house, I found that she didn't even let my brother touch her. He was living like a saint. I realized I did wrong. And now… I got to know she is pregnant. I want to make sure it's brothers. I am trying to get her to a hospital but couldn't. Now is the right time," Saranya said.Maha Lakshmi was shocked at her daughter's words. She loved her daughter and would never doubt her. Now… she was worried about her brother well being and trusted her means… she could say her daughter is just like her. And she trusted Saranya in Laya's thing. If Laya cheated on her son, she would kill her now."Mom, please. If I am there, she will trust me and do whatever I ask. It will make things easy for us," Saranya said.Maha Lakshmi was in deep thought bu
Ch-81Maha Lakshmi went to the dirty room, where she tied Laya. She went near her and saw her uncomfortable position. Checking the time, she realized it was lunchtime. If Laya stays hungry, then her grandchild would be hungry too. She can't let that happen. She removed her blindfold and the tape that blocked her mouth from screaming. Then her legs, kept her hands tied."Wake up," she said as she slapped Laya. Laya woke up in a split second and sat up straight."Come with me," Maha Lakshmi said.Laya wanted to say something but kept her mouth mum. She didn't lose the fear of her mother-in-law yet. She did as she was asked. Maha Lakshmi took her to one of the rooms and made her sit on the bed. The room has nothing but a pair of sarees, a bathroom, and a bed. Nothing more nothing less."You will live here for the coming nine months. And now… you will sign divorce papers and leave my son. Then you will sign your property papers and transfer them to me and your uncle's name. IF you shout,
Ch-80Just then Arjun, Raghuram entered the house along with Krishna Uppalapati."Annaya, why is he here? Didn't he just break the marriage?" Rama Krishna asked with anger."Babai, he didn't say no. He said he would marry her after he returned to India which is after six months. But we convinced him now to marry Nandini on the usual date," Arjun said."Why didn't you pick the call?" Rahul asked."We were talking to Krishna. I kept my phone in silent," he said."Very good! Shall I applaud your family now?!" Rahul said in anger."What happened, Rahul?" Arjun asked feeling confused."Don't you know! I trusted you guys and left for the office. Only to get her insulted. If he called off the wedding what is Laya's fault!? You guys called her a bad omen for no reason! Now… she went missing for the last damned one and half hours. If I find something bad has happened, I won't let you guys off!" Rahul roared and stormed out of the house.The moment he went out, he called his father and sister t
Ch-79PainThe pain was the only thing she could feel all over her body. Her world was as dark as an abyss.She tried to move but some constraints were stopping her. What were they? She tried to move her hands, but she found they were tied. She tried to move her cramped legs but they were tied too. Laya could feel she was tied to a pole, not a chair. The cold floor was making her shiver badly. When she tried to move the ropes which were tied to her hands and legs tightened making her moan in pain. The blindfold on her eyes made her unable to see anything around her.All she remembered was sending a text to Rahul that she was returning home in a taxi alone. Then Rahul called her, but before she could lift the call, two men entered the taxi with a dangerous aura making her feel scared. Before she could ask them why did they board the taxi she drifted into a deep dark world.She wanted to shout to ask if there was anybody around her. She wanted to shout and ask who were they? What's thei
Ch-78Laya woke up late. Due to her pregnancy, she was feeling very sleepy these days. Rahul was going to work and was returning to Pasupuleti's house directly. And as usual, Rahul left the house with a note. She got and freshened up. She walked down to the dining hall. Seeing her walking down, Sitamma came to her to serve the breakfast. Laya sat down to have her breakfast with Sitamma as her company. The house was bustling with relatives visiting, servants, decorators, and many people. Even though no one asked Laya to help she knew they wanted her to help, but her family always refused her. But… she couldn't bear the relative's words.Suddenly, she was called in by Abhinav. Yesterday, the groom called for Raghuram and Sharada along with his parents for an urgent meeting. They came disappointed after they returned. They didn't speak to anyone. But she knew something was wrong. But she didn't ask.Seeing Abhinav calling her, she got to leave. "Have food, I will be back," Sitamma said a
Ch-77"But Babai, if you go and ask her forgiveness she would forgive you," Nandini said."Nandu, you know… I don't want her forgiveness. That makes me more selfish. I am opting to die and drown in guilt. That's all. As for now… we need to take care of our little bride," Ramakrishna said as he petted her head."Babai, don't touch my hair," she said with a pout. He laughed as he let out his harmless laugh into the wide garden without any negative emotions. The positivity that exuded from his body covered the whole garden making others feel at ease. Laya noticed her uncle laugh out o carelessly for the first time in her life. Unknowingly she walked towards him but stopped at a distance hearing his words when his laughter died down, which was unnoticed by Rama Krishna and Rahul.Just then Abhinav walked towards Nandini to pass her phone as Krishna Uppalapati, her soon-to-be husband was online. But Laya just dragged him with them and stood closer to their place where they sat down to tal
Ch-75Nandini's husband was an NRI. He was a doctor in New Zealand, he returned to India to get married at his parents' insistence. Despite his being bitter about the marriage, Nandini looked cute and bubbly to his eyes when he saw her on their first date.Even though he never believed in love or a lifetime commitment he realized being committed with this cute girl wasn't a big deal. Krishna Uppalapati was looking forward to his marriage. His parents were doctors too. And he became a doctor too. They had a chain of hospitals, while he went to New Zealand to study but got settled there. His parents were asking him to resign and come back to take care of the hospitals, he never listened to them. Also, his traitor's parents said to the bride's parents that he was going to resign a year after his contract ended there. Till then the bride has to be with him in New Zealand.Nandini was not comfortable staying in a different country. She always wanted to stay in the same city where she was g